I just saw this article detailing information on a scene set to shoot on Valentines Day (of all days). It's certainly spoilery so read into it however you will (I'm sure we can all infer what it's alluding to).

If Gwen Stacy dies in 2 instead of 3 (which seems like the most logical conclusion after seeing that; what else would they need mourners for?), I'm going to be so disappointed. One of the toughest parts of ASM was how much they squeezed into there, including the deaths of Uncle Ben, Captain Stacy, and technically Richard Parker. Rushing the classic Gwen death into this one just feels rushed, like they're trying to squeeze most of Spidey's history into one trilogy.

Only way I see this brisk a pace working is if 3 has an epic battle with the Green Goblin ending in Peter's death a la Ultimate, and I just don't see them pulling that trigger.

This is why I was personally hoping for four films. I feel like it gives the franchise room to breathe even if some may feel the story ends up feeling stretched by the end. Last I heard, they were planning on still doing that Venom movie as setup for a villainous role in one of the Spider-Man flicks. It could make for a decent final outing wherein Peter is haunted by his past and battles the darkness in himself. If that were to happen, I'd picture it this way:

1.)Set up Gwen in the first like they did.
2.) Introduce Mary Jane in the second in a smaller role (which is apparently what they're doing anyway) while simultaneously establishing Norman Osborn as a potential threat down the road (controlling Electro and all that). Eddie Brock also shows up. It may seem too early on, thus frustrating fans, but introduce Peter to the symbiote (Maybe in this story's iteration as a creation of OsCorp). He battles Electro and decides to rid himself of the symbiote because of how it's changing him.
3.) Green Goblin is the main villain in the third film. He kills Gwen and Peter goes after him. Meanwhile, amidst all of the pain and suffering Peter endures at the hands of Norman Osborn, someone keeps attacking Peter from the shadows without setting off his Spider Sense and it unnerves him. After Peter defeats Green Goblin, reveal in the closing scene that the person attacking Peter has been, of course, Eddie Brock who has somehow become Venom.
4.) Mary Jane becomes the main love interest for the final film as Peter battles Venom, who knows everything about him.

That's all convoluted and certainly contrived, but I feel like a lot of ground could be covered nonetheless. That's all if they're still going for the Venom storyline. Personally I wouldn't mind it if they didn't do Venom at all and instead opted to end the series on Peter, after suffering so much loss, opening the door to Mary Jane and the famous "Face it Tiger, you just hit the jackpot" line. That's out the window now, obviously, but even so.

I thought that would be cool too, but it would probably be a nightmare to figure out the order the films go in...

Agreed. I'm willing to bet that's why they chose to go with an easier route, though I do also like what Marvel's doing with their subtitled sequels to other franchises. I think that makes it easier to carry those particular franchises into Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4 and beyond. This is why there is a small part of me that wishes Marvel had the rights to Spidey, but then I've always preferred Spider-Man on his own since that's an important part of his character. If he were to team up with anyone, I'd want it to be either Daredevil or Human Torch.

Anyway, Sony also issued a press release with a little more detail on the plot:

Quote:

New York, February 5, 2013 – Columbia Pictures announced today that filming has begun on The Amazing Spider-Man™ 2 in New York. The film is the first in the history of the franchise that will be filmed entirely in New York City and New York State.
The sequel to last year’s critical and box office hit The Amazing Spider-Man, the film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Shailene Woodley, Dane DeHaan, Colm Feore, Paul Giamatti, and Sally Field.
In The Amazing Spider-Man™ 2, for Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), life is busy – between taking out the bad guys as Spider-Man and spending time with the person he loves, Gwen (Emma Stone), high school graduation can’t come quickly enough. Peter hasn’t forgotten about the promise he made to Gwen’s father to protect her by staying away – but that’s a promise he just can’t keep. Things will change for Peter when a new villain, Electro (Jamie Foxx), emerges, an old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, and Peter uncovers new clues about his past.
The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci & Jeff Pinkner, with a previous draft by James Vanderbilt, and based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are the producers.
The film’s key behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Dan Mindel, production designer Mark Friedberg, editors Pietro Scalia and Elliot Graham, and costume designer Deborah L. Scott.
The latest chapter in the Spider-Man story is set for release in 3D on May 2, 2014.

"It really was the most amicable and undramatic of breakups: It was simply that we had a deadline and I couldn't get the story to work on a level that I wanted it to work. I was very unhappy with SPIDER-MAN 3, and I wanted to make SPIDER-MAN 4 to end on a very high note, the best SPIDER-MAN of them all. But I couldn't get the script together in time, due to my own failings, and I said to Sony, 'I don't want to make a movie that is less than great, so I think we shouldn't make this picture. Go ahead with your reboot, which you've been planning anyway.' And [Sony co-chairman] Amy Pascal said, 'Thank you. Thank you for not wasting the studio's money, and I appreciate your candor.' So we left on the best of terms, both of us trying to do the best thing for fans, the good name of Spider-Man, and Sony Studios."

And just to satisfy your curiosity, he did confirm Anne Hathaway would have played Felicia Hardy, which would have been in addition to John Malkovich's Vulture.

You're reviving the Oz franchise with this film; meanwhile, other filmmakers have taken on the franchises that you left behind, what with last year's Spider-Man reboot and this year's Evil Dead remake.
I didn't see the Spider-Man reboot. I know Marc Webb is a great director, and I love Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, but as much as I love those people and Amy and Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad, I just don't want to go to my girlfriend's wedding, with all due respect. I guess that means I'm a bad loser? I just love her too much! I just have to wait. It would be hard to see her with someone else … with all those other men!